Metro's $862M Expo Line begins test runs

April 4, 2011 12:00:00 AM PDT

LOS ANGELES --

Metro began test runs Monday along part of the $862 million Expo Line.

An empty Metro Rail train car was pulled by a high rail vehicle from the Blue Line junction at Washington Street down Flower Street, then west on Exposition and Jefferson boulevards. The procedure included clearance and overhead testing.

The train will run primarily along Exposition Boulevard from the 23rd Street Station near USC, according to Metro.

Metro expects to energize the power system later this month and then begin full train testing for a few months. Trains will operate intermittently during this period.

Metro hopes to finish the last seven-tenths of a mile in early 2012. The line will eventually extend to Santa Monica.

The first phase of the project, when completed, will go from downtown Los Angeles to Culver City.